Exemplary Explorers.

Triumph have updated their largest adventure bike, and like the Tiger 800 there are now two types: the cast-wheel tarmac-biased Explorer XR, and the spoke-wheel trail-ready Explorer XC. The basic version of each bike is pretty much as before. So that’s a luxurious and syrupy 1215cc ride-by-wire inline three, bolted into a substantial chassis with single-sided swimgarm and shaft drive. Suspension is now supplied by WP, however, and the front brakes are one-piece radial Brembos. There are two riding modes, road and rain, each with their own throttle maps and specific settings for the standard-fit traction control and ABS. The classy dash is also new, switchgear is refined, and the screen now moves at the touch of a button. Yes, it’s electric. That’s a class first, you know. As with the smaller Tigers there are flashier variants too. The Explorer XRx and XCx feature an additional off-road mode with its own settings. Better than that, they also have leanangle sensitive traction control and cornering ABS. That’s right - you can go full gas or grab the lever mid-corner, and a little black box squares the job up. The XRx and XCx also benefit from WP’s semi-active suspension, with preset ride options, continually-tweaked damping and rear preload that sets itself automatically. Heated grips, too. There’s more. Go for the touring-biased XRT or round-the-globe XCA, and the revised Explorer also gets a sportmode, a rider configurablemode, hill start control, heated seats and a taller screen. In terms of high-tech-spec, this puts the big Brit right up there with the KTM 1290 Super Adventure and a BMW R1200GSwithall the factory-fit options.

CB 500F.

For 2016, the Honda CB 500F gets a more hard-edged and muscular styling. Its 471-cc engine puts out 47.6 PS at 8,500 RPM and 43 Nm of torque at 7,000 RPM. Will it be seen on our shores? Unlikely, but then one can always hope.

Audace.

The Audace with its 121-Nm 1,400-cc V-twin engine is Moto Guzzi’s interpretation of a muscle bike. Ostentatious, muscular and fierce, the Moto Guzzi Audace can be picked out immediately by its front end, made stylistically lighter by the circular headlight unit and the carbon mudguard mounted on a fork without any telescope covering.